PLANS for a new hotel which will create 70 new jobs have been given the green light.

Civic chiefs approved proposals for a 73-room hotel and 73 parking spaces at the Compass House site on Romsey Road on Tuesday.

Previous plans for a 73-room hotel and 34 parking spaces were refused in 2019 because of concerns over insufficient parking.

Developers said the hotel would create 30 permanent jobs and 40 “direct and indirect” jobs but some residents and councillors raised concerns over parking, as 241 flats are also set to be built.

As reported, official documents revealed that additional parking spaces have been taken from the housing development at Compass House.

This means that the number of spaces set to be provided with the 2flats would decrease from 183 to 144.

But members of the Planning and Rights of Way Panel on Southampton City Council were asked to make a decision based on the hotel plans alone.

Simon Reynier from City of Southampton Society said: “I hear what the planning officer said, we can only consider the application that is in front of us now. But we should first consider the residents. I know parking is a very important part for both sites.”

Cllr John Savage said the new plans would not increase parking facilities at the site and added: “The problem with the car park and neighbourhood does not go away. The same problem exists.

“This is a very clever way round it. I am furious. It feels like the neighbours have been stitched up by legislation.”

It comes as Redbridge Cllr Sally Spicer told members local residents do not want the hotel at the site.

Fellow Redbridge cllr, Amanda Guest added: “If this proposal is approved, and parking reduced, it will become a free for all in the surrounding roads for parking and will therefore place an intolerable burden on the neighbouring residential area and roads.”

But speaking on behalf of the applicant, agent Chris Brady said the scheme would support tourism. 

Addressing the parking concerns he said that the vast majority of flats at the former Ordnance Survey site would be “single unit dwellings” and it is “unlikely” that residents would have cars. “The site is within 600 metres of a high accessibility bus zone.”